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J. D. STEELE Railroad Rail.

Patented May 3. 1853.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. DUTTON STEELE, OF POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CHAS. E. SMITH.

RAIL FOR RAILROADS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,704, dated May 3, 1853.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J. DUTTON STEELE, of Pottstown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and important Improvements in Rails for Railroads, which I term the Bridge-Rail and Splice-Plate, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which represent broken portions of the rails.

The nature of my invention consists in making a rail of two parts, and which is composed of a flanged bridge or n shaped rail of the usual form, resting on an interior rail or splice plate of similar external form, the under side of the arch of the exterior rail forming a groove to fit over the arch or tongue of the splice plate, and the flanges of the one resting upon the flanges of the other, which said flanges are fastened together with rivets as shown in the drawings, or otherwise as may hereafter be found the most desirablehaving when thus constructed a double bridge, and double base so far as the interior rail or splice extends.

This invention is intended to obviate the yielding of the rails at the joints, and the consequent jumping of the cars when run" ning at high velocities, and it is intended to be so arranged and proportioned, as to make as nearly as possible a continuous rail of uniform strength and stiflness, and as the same time to so eflectually secure the rails in their places, as to prevent the possibility of accidents to the passing train from their losing their correct juxtaposition at the joints. It is believed this end will be more economically attained by using the interior rail simply as a splice plate ofsuflicient length to bear upon 3 sills or crossties, directly under and adjacent to the oint of the exterior rail, thus perfectly breaking and securing the joint, and by making the tongue or arch of the splice plates solid, and of such height as experience and calculation may indicate as necessary to secure to the rail tracks uniform stiffness and strength throughout their length, and it is also believed that the best mode of fastening the flanges of the interior and exterior rail to gether is by rivets passing through corresponding holes in the two parts at the joint sill or bearing, but at the sills adjacent to the joint sills, the spikes or screw bolts which are used to fasten the rails at large to their bearings, should also pass through the corresponding holes in the flanges of the two parts, and thus perform the double office of securing the two parts together, and to their bearings, and at the same time of preventing longitudinal motion in the rail as shown in drawing No. 1in which A. represents the rail, and B the splice plate.

Drawing No. 2 represents a modification of the same kind of rail, when both the rider C and the under rail D, are of the bridge or n form, the top of the under rail or splice plate being so shaped as to fit the groove or arch in the underside of the upper rail,with flanges H, as above. For this mode of construction, the interior rail or splice plate may be made of corrugated plate iron, or OEIIGI'WTSG as may be found the most desira e.

It is obvious that this form of double rail may be varied from the two herein described and represented, without departing from the general principle, and that the under rail may be used simply as a splice plate, as above described, or it may be extended to the full length of the exterior rail and made to break joints with it, as may hereafter be found the most desirable, without departing from the general principle here laid down.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The construction of a rail in two parts and which is composed of a flanged n or bridge rail of usual form, with another rail or splice plate of similar external form on which it rides, the under side of the arch of the upper rail forming a groove to fit over the arch or tongue of the lower rail or splice plate, and the flanges of the one overlaying and resting upon the flanges of the other and the flanges may be riveted together, or the spikes or bolts fastening the rails at large to their bearings may be made to pass through the said flanges, and thus perform the double oflice of fastening them together and to their bearing and the interior rail may have a solid, or hollow tongue or rib, and it may have a length sufiicient to give it a bearing on 3 sills or cross ties directly under and adjacent to the joint, or it may be equal in length to the upper or main rail, and break joints with it, as may be hereinafter be found the most desirable.

J. DUTTON STEELE.

Witnesses:

J OHN THOMPSON, HERMAN WELLS. 

